Metallica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Metallica
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Metallica at the 2024 Gershwin Prize ceremony. From left to right: Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, Robert Trujillo and James Hetfield.
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
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Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The group started in Los Angeles in 1981. It was formed by singer and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. For most of its career, the band has been based in San Francisco.
The band is known for its fast music, instrumentals, and powerful sound. This made them one of the "big four" bands of thrash metal. The other three are Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer.
Today, Metallica's members are Hetfield, Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Robert Trujillo. Former members include guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton, and Jason Newsted. Metallica is one of the best-selling bands ever, with over 163 million albums sold worldwide.
The band's third album, Master of Puppets (1986), brought them major success. Many people think it's one of the best and heaviest metal albums ever made. Their fifth album, Metallica (1991), also called The Black Album, was a huge hit. It introduced the band to a wider audience and has sold over 16 million copies in the United States.
In 2009, Metallica was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band has released eleven studio albums, with the latest being 72 Seasons in 2023. They have won ten Grammy Awards.
Contents
History
1981–1984: How the Band Began
Metallica formed in late 1981. Drummer Lars Ulrich from Denmark put an ad in a Los Angeles newspaper. He was looking for other musicians who liked bands like Diamond Head and Iron Maiden. Guitarists James Hetfield and Hugh Tanner answered the ad.
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The name "Metallica" came from Ulrich's friend, Ron Quintana. Quintana was thinking of names for a music fan magazine. Ulrich liked the name Metallica for his band and suggested his friend use a different name for the magazine.
Soon, Dave Mustaine joined as lead guitarist. In early 1982, the band recorded its first song, "Hit the Lights." They played their first live show on March 14, 1982, in Anaheim, California, with bassist Ron McGovney.
Later that year, Hetfield and Ulrich saw bassist Cliff Burton perform with his band, Trauma. They were amazed by his skill and asked him to join Metallica. Burton agreed, but only if the band moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. The band's first show with Burton was in March 1983.
In April 1983, the band decided to part ways with Dave Mustaine due to his behavior. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett, the guitarist from the band Exodus. Mustaine went on to form another famous metal band, Megadeth.
The band's first album was originally going to be called Metal Up Your .... However, the record label and distributors did not like the title, so it was changed to Kill 'Em All. The album was released in 1983. It didn't sell a lot at first, but it helped the band gain many fans in the underground metal scene.
1984–1986: Rise to Fame and a Tragic Loss
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Metallica recorded their second album, Ride the Lightning, in Denmark. It was released in 1984 and reached number 100 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album showed the band was growing and writing more complex songs.
Record companies started to notice the band. Metallica signed with Elektra Records and their career took off. They played at huge music festivals, including the Monsters of Rock festival in England in front of 70,000 people.
Their third album, Master of Puppets, was released in March 1986. It was a huge success, reaching number 29 on the charts. Many fans and critics call it the band's best work.
On September 27, 1986, a tragedy occurred. While on tour in Sweden, the band's tour bus crashed. Cliff Burton was killed in the accident. The other members were not seriously hurt, but they were devastated by the loss of their friend and bandmate.
1986–1994: A New Bassist and Global Stardom
After Burton's death, the band decided to continue, believing it's what he would have wanted. They held auditions for a new bassist. Jason Newsted, from the band Flotsam and Jetsam, was chosen to replace Burton.
In 1988, Metallica released ...And Justice for All. It was their first album with Newsted. The album was a big commercial success, reaching number 6 on the Billboard 200. The song "One" earned the band its first Grammy Award nomination. They also made their first music video for "One."
In 1991, Metallica released their fifth album, also titled Metallica. It is often called The Black Album because of its plain black cover. This album had a slightly different sound that was more accessible to a wider audience.
The Black Album was a massive success. It debuted at number one in 10 countries and sold 650,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. It made Metallica one of the biggest bands in the world. They toured for 14 months, playing for huge crowds everywhere.
1994–2001: New Styles and a Famous Lawsuit
After a long tour, Metallica returned to the studio. In 1996, they released the album Load. The band changed their image, cutting their hair, and their music style moved more towards hard rock. The album's cover art, by artist Andres Serrano, was also a topic of discussion among fans.
The band had written so many songs that they released a follow-up album, Reload, in 1997. Both Load and Reload debuted at number one on the charts.
In 2000, Metallica became involved in a famous legal case against Napster, a file-sharing service. The band discovered that their music was being shared online for free without their permission. They sued Napster for copyright infringement. The case brought a lot of attention to the issue of digital music rights.
In 2001, bassist Jason Newsted left the band. He said he wanted to work on his own music projects.
2001–2006: A New Chapter and a New Member
The period after Newsted's departure was difficult for the band. James Hetfield took time off to deal with personal health issues. A film crew documented this period, which resulted in the 2004 documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster.
The band's eighth album, St. Anger, was released in 2003. It had a very raw and different sound, with no guitar solos. Producer Bob Rock played bass on the album. St. Anger debuted at number one but received mixed reviews from fans and critics.
After the album was finished, the band auditioned for a new permanent bassist. Robert Trujillo, who had played with Ozzy Osbourne, was chosen. He has been with the band ever since.
2006–2013: Return to Thrash and Hall of Fame
For their ninth album, Death Magnetic (2008), Metallica worked with producer Rick Rubin. The album was seen as a return to their thrash metal roots. It was a huge success, debuting at number one on the charts. This made Metallica the first band to have five studio albums in a row debut at number one.
On April 4, 2009, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Former bassist Jason Newsted performed with the band at the ceremony. The honor was also accepted on behalf of the late Cliff Burton by his father.
In 2010, Metallica toured with the other "big four" thrash metal bands—Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. It was the first time all four bands had played on the same bill.
In 2012, Metallica launched its own record label, Blackened Recordings. This gave them ownership of all their past and future music.
2013–2023: New Albums and Global Tours
In 2013, the band released a 3D concert film called Metallica: Through the Never. That same year, they became the first band to play a concert on all seven continents after performing a show in Antarctica called "Freeze 'Em All."
Their tenth studio album, Hardwired... to Self-Destruct, was released in 2016. Like their previous albums, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The band then started a massive world tour called the WorldWired Tour.
In 2019, Metallica performed two shows with the San Francisco Symphony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first collaboration. The concert, called S&M2, was shown in theaters worldwide and later released as an album.
The band's eleventh studio album, 72 Seasons, was released on April 14, 2023. To support the album, Metallica began the M72 World Tour, which is planned to continue until 2026.
Musical Style
Metallica is known for helping to create thrash metal. Their early albums featured fast songs, complex guitar parts, and long instrumental sections. Their lyrics often talked about serious topics like war, justice, and personal struggles.
With The Black Album in 1991, their sound became simpler and more like traditional heavy metal. This helped them reach a much larger audience. In the mid-1990s, on the albums Load and Reload, they experimented with a hard rock and even blues-influenced sound.
On Death Magnetic (2008), the band returned to the faster, heavier thrash metal style of their early days. Their more recent albums, Hardwired... to Self-Destruct and 72 Seasons, have continued this powerful sound.
Legacy and Influence
Metallica is one of the most influential heavy metal bands in history. They have inspired countless other bands, including Korn, Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold, and Gojira.
The band has sold over 125 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. They have won numerous awards, including 10 Grammy Awards. Magazines like Rolling Stone and MTV have named them one of the greatest bands ever.
Their music has been featured in video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. In 2024, they even performed a virtual concert inside the popular game Fortnite.
Band members
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Former
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Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
- Kill 'Em All (1983)
- Ride the Lightning (1984)
- Master of Puppets (1986)
- ...And Justice for All (1988)
- Metallica (1991)
- Load (1996)
- Reload (1997)
- St. Anger (2003)
- Death Magnetic (2008)
- Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016)
- 72 Seasons (2023)
Images for kids
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Dave Mustaine (pictured in 2009) went on to found rival band Megadeth after being fired from the band in 1983.
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Lars Ulrich led the case against Napster for Metallica.
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Longtime producer Bob Rock recorded bass for St. Anger following Jason Newsted's departure in 2001.
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Metallica performing in London in 2009
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Metallica performing in Sacramento in 2009
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Lulu (Lou Reed and Metallica album)
Lulu.
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Metallica performing in Bangalore in 2011
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Metallica performing in London in 2017
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Metallica performing in Milan, 2019
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See also
In Spanish: Metallica para niños
